What a Week

Ashton has a rock stuck in his ear

On Tuesday, May 20, I received a phone call from daycare around 4:15 - now for all of you parents out there, you know how your stomach turns whenever you look at the caller id and unexpectedly see your child's daycare provider. Ashton had stuck a rock in his ear and the director wasn't sure if it was still in there. I immediately left my office and headed to the daycare. On the way there, I called his pediatrician and was told to bring him in as soon as possible because it was almost time for the office to close for the day. Sure enough, Dr. Eastham spotted something hard in his ear...most likely a little pebble. Fortunately, the rock is stuck in the ear canal at a location AWAY from the ear drum. Unfortunately, after a thorough ear washing and with instruments, Dr. Eastham couldn't remove the rock and due to the bloody ear canal and the abrasions, we need to wait for the abrasions to heal somewhat before we attempt to have it removed. In a few weeks, we will go back to the doctor and Ashton will have to be sedated in order for the rock to be removed.

Why did he place the rock in his ear in the first place? Well, when I asked Ashton this question his reply was simple - "To see if it would fit, Mommy." Turns out, he placed a bigger rock in his ear first but it was too big, so he tried another one and although it fit, it got stuck. He told his teacher that he had placed a rock in his ear and after learning that he would probably have to go to the doctor, he insisted that it had fallen back out. Needless to say, we weren't taking any chances. If he complains about his ear hurting, starts pulling at it, or acts like his hearing is diminished any at all, it's back to the doctor immediately and no waiting for the abrasions to heal. You would think that after screaming his head off at the doctor's office during the exam and the ear washing that he wouldn't touch another rock, however the very next day, he was in trouble for throwing them!

Erica tears a ligament

On Thursday morning, I took a dive while walking across the Square and managed to tear a ligament in my right foot, sprain my ankle, scrape both knees, and bruise the left side of my lower body. My cell phone broke into 3 pieces and I had to hobble to my car. I couldn't call Jason and there was no one in sight to help me, so I drove home - in tears. Jason was on vacation last week, so fortunately he was at home and my sister-in-law was visiting with her children, so she was able to watch Ashton for us while Jason drove me to the ER. I am currently wearing a walking boot until the swelling and pain subsides.